Each year on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the children of the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox cathedral are given a very special responsibility. At the end of the service, after Holy Communion, the children all make their way to the front of the Temple holding Icons. Some of the children have brought their favorite icons from their family prayer corner others received their icons from the kid’s room kept on hand for the occasion.

With icons displayed prominently in front of them, they followed in the procession around the Cathedral. Stopping at each of the four corners of the Holy Temple the faithful prayed for the repose of all faithful Orthodox Christians, mercy, life, peace, salvation and for the protection of the Holy Orthodox Church. Holding the icons with pride and reverence the faithful and the children recited the passage from The Synodikon of the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

The impact of such activities in the life of a young child cannot be emphasized enough. As they grow in years and in faith may they never forget this lesson and may we all remember that: